Test of a nursing intervention to promote adjustment to fibromyalgia.

PURPOSE This was a test to detect whether a 4-week cognitive behavioral nursing program was effective in increasing adjustment to fibromyalgia (FM) and if the treatment effect would last over time. DESIGN This was a control and treatment group experimental longitudinal study with outcome measures obtained at pretest and every 3 months for 1 year. SAMPLE A sample of 71 subjects continued their participation throughout the first year of the study. FINDINGS Treatment subjects had improved posttreatment adjustment and symptom severity compared to control subjects. When subjects with high pretest psychosocial distress (n = 5) were removed from the analysis, these findings were statistically significant. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE The article can provide direction for developing new comprehensive nursing intervention for patients seen with orthopaedic problems. The intervention schedule may help nurses expand their use of interventions for FM patients. Orthopaedic nurses are especially suited for this challenge.